A proposal to reduce funding for the last refuge of our most vulnerable citizens would be suspect under any circumstances. However, at a time when the governor's policy on property tax reimbursement threatens to put seniors out of their homes and into public care, the governor's contemplated cuts to nursing homes are startling.

Advocates have soft-peddled these reductions by claiming that they represent a small fraction of state contributions. The very claim that these cuts are modest undermines their justification.

Why should we raid meager savings from the poor and disabled?

Their argument also misses the big picture: Our nursing homes are not operating on a surplus and will face increasing demands for care. Cuts to funding will eventually translate into diminished quality of life for our relatives who call these facilities home. This adds insult to injury not only for elders, but taxpayers.

When declines in service put more seniors into hospitals, it will be workers who foot an inflated bill for care. Replacing a cost of $200 per day with $4,000 is hardly sensible. Voters should tell their representatives that trying to balance the budget on the backs of seniors is poor policy for citizens of all ages.